General: Pop Wheelies and Quick Release Wheels

I was riding a beater today on a bike path through some parks here in Chicago. It was a great day, 70 degrees, lots of sun, just tooling around on a mixte with a quick release front wheel.

I was getting a good 4-6" of lift on some pop-ups, leaning way back, enjoying the ride.

I popped-up about an hour into the ride and my front wheel detached and kept rolling. The wheel rolled on down the path by it self at least 100' from where I crashed. I saw the wheel come out and when I looked down just before I crashed I saw an empty fork. I went over the bars after the fork came down. No injuries besides for some road rash on my left hand and a scraped up knee. I was going pretty slow and my head didn't touch the ground. The beater is going in the trash heap from where it came.

Lesson of the day: check the tightness of your quick release wheels before every ride!

velospace riders have had a rough patch lately (see also)

good thing you were going slow

Dude you shoulda held that sick wheelie till you got home and crashed right in your front yard!

That's what I woulda done


Glad you're ok. :)